Desalination investment 'to double in six years'

Desalination capital investment will double within six years, according to a report from cleantech
market intelligence firm Pike Research, announced on 20 December 2010.

The report, Desalination Technology Markets, says that costs are falling steadily for
several key technologies, which will make seawater-to-freshwater conversion more affordable for a
variety of applications. Increased construction of desalination plants will generate a cumulative
capital investment of US$ 87.8 billion worldwide during the period 2010-2016.

"Desalination market growth is being driven by a combination of dwindling water
resources, population growth and urbanization, and lower desalination costs," says Pike Research
president Clint Wheelock. "While we are forecasting a slowdown in the market over the next two
years, largely due to the lingering effects of the global financial crisis, the outlook for the longer
term remains strong, and we anticipate that desalination capital investment will double within six
years."